10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU Film Director Comments on Musical Adaptation: 'It's In Such Good Hands'

Last month, it was reported that a musical adaptation of the beloved film 10 Things I Hate About You is coming to the stage. Now, Gil Junger, the director of the original 1999 movie, is speaking out about the musical adaptation, noting his excitement for the project. 

"It's funny because years ago, I was offered [the opportunity to direct a stage production]," the director said in an interview with People. "That was brought up to me a couple of times over the last 15 years. And I always said, 'Look, if you get your financing together, I'm down.' And they never got back to me."

The musical adaptation is being developed with an aim for Broadway with a score by Carly Rae Jepsen and Ethan Gruska and a book by Lena Dunham and Jessica Huang. "I'm so excited to see what Lena does with this. She's just so incredibly talented. She has that voice," he said, though he added that he does feel "a little bit of 'Don't hurt my baby'" about the project. However, he reiterated that "It's in such good hands. I'm just excited to see it."

10 Things I Hate About You, a retelling of William Shakespeare’s 1594 play The Taming of the Shrew, launched the careers of Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and showcased a breakout performance by Alison Janney. The film was a box office hit and gained cult status thanks to its keen and witty examination of teenage life in a 1990s Seattle suburb and the nuanced portrayal of sisters Kat and Bianca Stratford.

Since its release, the film has been celebrated by critics and fans and was included in EW’s list of Best High School Movies of All Time. Ledger’s iconic performance of the Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio’s classic “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” in the film has become inspiration for numerous marriage proposals and viral videos. 10 Things I Hate About You is produced by Bosner by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical.

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